The Blog Above Replacement is a daily look at the Reds, their minor leagues and whatever else is on the mind of Enquirer Reds beat writers, C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan. You can follow them on Twitter (@ctrent and @ZachENQ), Facebook (C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan) and Instagram (ENQReds).

BILLINGS, Mont. — It’s Friday and that means it’s time to answer some questions:

Loved it. Great stadium, great setting. Billings was a wonderful host and a first-rate atmosphere at a first-rate venue.

I also get to check it off my list – I have now seen Reds minor league games everywhere but Daytona and the Dominican Republic.

I will say I was surprised initially by the size. I’ve been to many minor league parks, but I’d never been to this level. It’s a small park, but it has a large, passionate fanbase. It’s comfortable with a large concourse to mill about plus places to watch the game from the outfield. I’ve talked to players who say it’s by far the best in the league.

I told Gary Roller, the excellent GM of the team, about how I grew up thinking about Billings as a huge part of baseball history – it was always on the back of George Brett’s baseball cards (or at least his early ones) and I spent many years studying the backs of those cards.

The team has been an affiliate of the Reds since 1974 and both the Mustangs and Reds value their relationship. It was a great trip. (Get the cinnamon roll at Stella’s, a great tip from Mustangs catcher Mark Kolozsvary. Also, the milkshakes at the Burger Dive are stupendous.)

May be jumping gun, but will recent successes from young SPs change way GM/FO approaches signing another vet in offseason? #HeyBARtender

Iglesias entered the game in the eighth inning on Tuesday with the score 7-3 and two men on – he gets the save since the tying run was on deck.

You can earn a save if you enter the game with the tying run either at the plate or on deck, or if you pitch three innings, regardless of the score.

An email from Mike Koz:

“What's the latest on Cody Reed? Was he not "ahead" of Castillo, Garrett, Davis, Mahle etc. at one point not too long ago as the starter most ready for the major league rotation? And is it too much of an assumption to say that Castillo, Stephenson and perhaps Mahle are the front runners for the 2018 rotation, along with Bailey?”

Reed struggled both in the big leagues and the minors this year. He’ll finish the season in the Reds’ bullpen, but will get a chance to start next spring.

As for next year’s rotation, if Homer Bailey, Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan are healthy, they’re there and I don’t see how a healthy Luis Castillo isn’t in the rotation. That adds quite a bit of competition and depth for that fifth spot from the youngsters, and perhaps a free-agent acquisition. This, of course, is all dependent on health.

Winker, Duvall, Schebler OF next year with Hammy off bench? #heyBARtender

ICYMI

Minor League Roundup

Double-A: Pensacola 6, Jacksonville 3: The Blue Wahoos are one win away from a Southern League co-championship (due to Hurricane Irma, the final series won’t be played), in no small part due to the pitching of right-hander Jose Lopez. Lopez allowed one run on three hits over eight innings with nine strikeouts. LF Josh VanMeter went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer. 1B Gavin LaValley also homered and so did IF Arismendy Alcantara. Game 3 of the best-of-5 series is today at 2:05 p.m. with RHP Austin Ross taking the mound for the Blue Wahoos. [Box]

High-A: Dayton 2, West Michigan 1: The Dragons forced a third game in their series behind LHP Scott Moss, who allowed just three hits and a walk over six scoreless. He struck out five. RHP Carlos Machorro struck out four in two scoreless innings of relief. LF Taylor Trammell had an RBI single, as did DH Randy Ventura. CF Jose Siri and C Cassidy Brown had two hits each. [Box]

Rookie: Billings 8, Helena 3: The Mustangs’ playoff hopes depend solely on the results in Great Falls the next two days – if Missoula beats Great Falls in two games there, the Mustangs are in. If Great Falls wins either of the two games (or both), the Mustangs’ season will end on Saturday. As for Thursday, RF Raul Wallace had three hits, including a two-run homer and a two-run double. CF Miles Gordon was 2 for 5 with a double. I also saw a really nice play at third by Jake Turnbull, who fielded a high chopper and gunned down a runner at the plate. LHP Packy Naughton gave up two unearned runs on five hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out five. [Box]

4. Only five teams have won more games than the Pirates over the last five years, yet for some reason, Pirates fans seem to be upset about the extensions given to GM Neal Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle. [FanGraphs.com]